Concert review: Styx leads rock veterans at the MassMutual Center

SPRINGFIELD – Turning back the clock. It may in fact be mankind’s most enduring quest, trying to find…yesterday. The concert held at the MassMutual Center on Tuesday night suggested the pursuit may not be a futile one as the bands, the crowd, and the venue all played a part, not as relics but as real-time reflections of a rose-colored past.

There was a time that the Springfield Civic Center (now the MassMutual Center) was THE place to go to see a rock concert. There was a time in the 80s that Styx, REO Speedwagon, and Ted Nugent were some of the biggest bands in the land. That time might as well have been Tuesday night.

The three classic rock bands joined forces for a 4 hour rock experience that was admittedly and unabashedly an ode to another time. Styx singer Lawrence Gawon even referred to the “time machine” feel of the event.

Like days of yore the building was virtually full, appearing to be just a few hundred seats short of a sellout.

The tour is billed as the “Midwest Rock’ n’ Roll Express” and while the three bands claim there is no real headliner, the order of appearance on Tuesday night seemed to make sense. Nugent opened the show, followed by REO Speedwagon, with Styx closing out the night.

With real classic rock chops, Styx deserves top billing on the tour. Led by Tommy Shaw, the band opened with “Rockin’ the Paradise,” followed by “Blue Collar Man,” and “The Grand Illusion.”

Tommy Shaw paid tribute to the recently departed Richie Havens, using the late songwriter’s “Freedom” as a prelude to “Fooling Yourself (the Angry Young Man).”

Gawon, filling the role vacated by Dennis DeYoung, inducted the crowd into the “college of Rock’ n’ Roll knowledge” by singing the first part of songs from Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd and challenging the crowd to finish the line. Gawon learned quickly that the Springfield audience is well versed in the genre.

It all led to “Come Sail Away,” and an encore of “Renegade” with confetti cannons littering the concrete floors.

The REO Speedwagon set was pure, lusty nostalgia as the band masterfully rehashed the hits and centered their set on the signature “Hi Infidelity” release from 1980. They opened with “Don’t Let Him Go,” and gave the lead vocals over to the enthusiastic crowd during “Take It On the Run.”

There were some pitfalls in the set, most notably Bruce Hall’s lead vocal turn on “Back on the Road Again.” The performance was fine, but a tough sell amongst the more recognizable numbers such as “Time For Me To Fly,” and “Roll With The Changes.”
The band encored with “Keep On Lovin’ You” and “Riding The Storm Out.”

Ted Nugent has a well-documented history with the venue having recorded a song here for his seminal “Double Live Gonzo” release in the late 70s.

“Did you miss me Springfield?” he snarled as he opened a 50 minute set with “Wango Tango.”

Showcasing the influence of his Detroit rock roots, Nugent offered a medley that included the Motown hit “My Girl,” a piece of “Johnny B. Goode,” and, in deference to the recent events in Boston, a riff on The Standells’ “Dirty Water.”